


Professor "Call Me Jaskier" and the Great College Surprise of Codvid 19

by SummerMistedDragon



Category: The Witcher (TV), Wiedźmin | The Witcher - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Based on a Tumblr Post, Carry On Quarantine, College, Covid 19 lockdown, Geraskier, M/M, No Beta, Roach is a cat, Shocking Students, Zoom classes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-20
Updated: 2020-04-20
Packaged: 2021-03-02 00:01:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,795
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23745739
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SummerMistedDragon/pseuds/SummerMistedDragon
Summary: I found this idea in a tumblr post by mewbotz on the facebook group for Geraskier love.  Original idea comes from that...but I have no idea how to link it!Jaskier teaches music at the university you attend, and all throughout the years everyone knows he is the best teacher and the biggest crush on campus.  And yet, he is married to the elusive "Geralt" and goes about his classes spreading music and joy and heartbreak.  After quarantine restrictions close the campus and turn classes into Zoom meetings, it is quickly discovered that the renowned hardass and worthy history Professor Rivia has a pretty big secret to tell.
Relationships: Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia/Jaskier | Dandelion
Comments: 65
Kudos: 660





	Professor "Call Me Jaskier" and the Great College Surprise of Codvid 19

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Modern AU](https://archiveofourown.org/external_works/608404) by mewbotz. 



> Idea came from mewbotz!! I have NO idea what I'm doing to link the post! I just have a photo from the facebook post I found!

Xxx

_February 17th, 2020_

_University of Vizima_

_Lyrical and Instrumental Composition Third Level_

Xxx

You were insane, absolutely insane.

Six semesters into your college career and by now you should remember to NEVER register for early morning classes. Especially when you have back to back lecture to a seminar class and then right into an afternoon workshop class. Lunch was almost always vending machine foods inhaled between campus buildings while sprinting.

At least the workshop class was taught by the best instructor on the entire campus.

Musician and teacher, Professor…Something…"Call me Jaskier!" was everyone's favorite in the Arts building from the Music and Theater majors, to even the Artist classes as Jaskier always let sketch artists or studying history students camp out in the music rooms for the soundproofing and free background music. Many Drawing 101 and 102 students turned in assignments with Jaskier as the subject or his multitude of exotic instruments.

You had been at U of V for almost three full years now, and while Majoring in Musical Production and Education-high school level classes and concerts or competitions is your goal-you have taken a total of nine courses with Jaskier and gotten to know him rather well all things considered.

Jaskier knew you were a lost cause with any instrument even remotely resembling a horn or brass like thing, your specialty lies with strings and woodwinds, but you can hold your own in the drum sessions during exam weeks. Your crazy-hot mostly, but also actually _crazy_ -instructor likes to completely throw away the rules during the week before and week of Midterms and Finals by holding screaming and drumming sessions full of old folk songs and beating out the stress and test anxiety.

For now, Jaskier didn't mind at all that you brought food with you into the music room hosting your afternoon workshop class, as long as you kept your area and instruments clean-and shared any cookies when you snuck them in.

Like always, Jaskier was leaning against the door frame in khakis and a pastel button down shirt, bracing open the second half of the double doors as the kickstand was still broken-maintenance never remembered to fix it no matter how many requests went in. Strumming on his newest string instrument, a beautiful mahogany lute he'd shown up to the new semester with, Jaskier was half paying attention to the students around him, and half lost in his own composing in between classes.

The biggest joy and disappointment that circulated campus, was that the drop-dead gorgeous Music Instructor teaching at the University of Vizima…was completely taken. There was a thin silver band on his left hand, and about two dozen child drawings all over his personal office. No pictures, it was Jaskier's husband's only rule for what was displayed in the campus office, to not publicly show their daughter as she was young and he was ex-military and a hard ass. Jaskier's words.

Whoever "Geralt" was, he was the luckiest bastard on the entire planet to have gotten Jaskier as his husband, and their kid a legend for the second level composition courses, one of the biggest projects was a fun kids song and he frequently took recordings home to grade and came back with child commentary on students' music.

Your song earned a fabulous high-five and a drawing as a grade for your songs about frogs and ducks in the rain, plus the 98.9/100 for the gradebook.

Nodding to your distracted wave, Jaskier kept strumming on his Christmas present lute, wedding band flashing in the hallway lighting as he repeatedly worked on a stretch of eight or nine bars, fussing with a few of the notes by the sound.

You dropped into your bean bag with a yawn, cramming trail mix in your mouth with one hand and beginning to dig in the well-worn backpack with the other. Your sheet music was tucked into your history notes, the thick notebook was the safest vessel for transporting your music assignments considering you _had_ to carry it everywhere to keep up with the lectures and homework assignments. Heavy with ink and a few rare doodles, this course was by far your _second_ favorite-only because Jaskier was always top-and your most hated. More on that later.

For now, Jaskier was loudly welcoming the other five students of _Lyrical and Instrumental Composition Third Level_ into the room, teasing the latest freshman sketch artists hiding in the corner and reminding them to be quiet if they had to leave during his class. A smirk crossed your face as you fussed with your sheet music, getting the pieces ready on the floor stand you'd claim every day in class Monday-Wednesday-Friday.

"Alright! Let's go guys! I want to hear maudlin ballads-witty woes-scathing sonnets-and adventurous aspirations! Whose ready to play their broken-hearted song first?"

"You!"

Jaskier snorted, already warming up on a guitar after setting his precious lute on a side table. Homework from last week had been to compose the draft of a song about a break up-whether you were the one who been dumped, or had scorned the other person instead. Like always, Jaskier had had three examples-all from his own experiences, two of which had been former professors on campus actually if rumors from adjuncts were to be believed your freshman year. Valdo Marx was the assistant Dean of the Music Department years ago, and had been chased out by scathing musical compositions that were passed around to rookies as warm ups.

Either way, soon after the first of those had started, Jaskier had gotten married over one summer and came back in the fall with a wedding ring to hundreds of broken hearts.

It was a rite of passage in the music halls, students fall in love with Professor Jaskier, get their hearts broken by the very mysterious and lucky "Geralt", and love music even more in Jaskier's place.

Going along with the request, Jaskier strummed into the legendary song _Her Sweet Kiss_ , unrequited love filled with literal "longing and lust" and a heart scorned. As he began to sing, your smile widened and you sunk deeper into the beanbag chair, meeting another classmate's eyes and both of you relaxed with the atmosphere.

Yeah…an hour long history class at eight in the morning, followed by a chemistry seminar and lab together, before rushing across campus to music class…

You'll survive.

Xxx

_March 6th, 2020_

_World History 101_

_Lecture Hall 206A_

Xxx

Blinking blearily at the projector screen, you tried to focus on the words displayed. There was not nearly enough caffeine let alone sleep in you at 7:56am on a Friday, not after a stressful week of Midterms in your other general class.

Being a junior, you were almost done with the non-major specific courses, having to squeeze in your science classes around the education coursework, and was just now on your required history course. Freshman year, you tried to take _World History 101_ with Professor Istredd Gynvael, that turned into a disaster as his chaotic droning and hyper focus on one area had made it hard to get through the lecture days…you'd dropped the class in the first two weeks and vowed to try again later. Three friends, one of them your roommate, had highly encouraged you to sign up for Professor Rivia's course, saying he was the best at history and would work with you in case of hiccups, but you _must_ communicate with him professionally.

And by that, you found out there was an entire class day going over written formats accepted within the course. For papers and short essays, the format for resources and set up was very specific and detailed, but rather easy once you got the hang of it. That's also how you perfected the communication portion of the formats. Professor Rivia was an instructor who demanded respect without asking, and it was easy to understand why. In emails, students were expected to write business-like correspondence and be respectful, as long as this was followed, Professor Rivia would work with you, up until almost midnight even, for details on a paper worth forty-five percent of your grade.

Direct, Respect, Perfect.

Professor Rivia's class motto fit him like a glove. He was direct in his teaching with thorough lectures and power points to back his teachings, the assignments went right alongside everything in class, even if your notebook was almost two thirds full of ink and it was only a week until Spring Break.

He demanded respect, and earned it within minutes of the first class of any semester.

The man was built like a freaking gladiator, and dressed in smart business casual clothes in dark navy or black on a daily basis.

And he opened class by passing out the syllabus, stalking down the stairs in the lecture hall and bellowing loud enough over the first day madness.

"I don't give a _fuck_ what year you are in, do your work, don't talk when I'm talking, and take your damn notes!"

From that moment you had burned through a six pack of pens and your hand was stained with ink every other day.

It fit the last part of the motto, follow the format, take notes, and keep quiet during the lectures, and Professor Rivia graded students really easily. It was _almost_ an easy "A", almost, as long as you remembered to cite your sources properly. 

Riding the halfway point of the semester with a happy 89.7, you were feeling really good…if a little sleep deprived…going into the Midterm paper and multiple choice test next week. After three emails with Professor Rivia about referencing another instructor's own research for your paper, you were ready for Spring Break and then jumping back into class for Italian renaissance.

Professor Rivia tapped on his computer, sending the opening page of today's power point into the first slide, his wedding ring flashed a little in the projector glow as he fussed with the retractable screen to center the display. No one knew who he was married to, just that every year on Valentine's day a huge bouquet would show up in Professor Rivia's lecture hall, full of White Arbutus, Blue Coreopsis, Yellow Daisies, Dark red Peonies, rich Green Ivy, and…neon yellow Dandelions. You got bored one night after snapping a picture of the beautiful bouquet wrapped with black and silver ribbon around the vase, and had looked up the language of the flowers…all but the dandelions…meant faithful love, dedication, and cheekiness. Dandelions had translated into either healing from pain…or more likely with the others, surviving challenges.

Professor Rivia's spouse had to be freaking amazing, whoever they were.

Standing from the desk, Professor Rivia silenced the lecture hall of close to one hundred students without a word, leaning on the podium with a dull glare that matched some of his students who had managed to consume enough caffeine to properly function this early in the morning.

"Alright, how many of you thought the assigned reading was stupid?"

Half of the class shot up their hands.

"And how many you agree that the methods listed for judicial law were reasonable and a good foundation to build upon?"

Five hands…yours is one of them.

"How many of you forgot to read the damned book again?"

A third of the remaining hands went up.

"Hm," Professor Rivia snorted, gesturing over his shoulder at the screen, "Pens out, let's go."

Discussion would come up later, for now you rubbed your eyes to stay awake, clicking your pen and starting to write.

Xxx

_March 13th, 2020_

_Residence Hall Parking Lot_

_2:30pm_

Xxx

Sighing in relief, you carefully packed your guitar case next to your portable keyboard and dirty laundry in the back seat of your car, trying very hard not to squish your friend's art portfolio stuffed on top of her suitcase. Her house was only ten minutes from yours and she promised to pay for gas and road snacks on the two hour drive home for vacation.

There was now an entire week, plus the weekends, between you and your next class. No homework for any class except Jaskier's, a longer composition that will make up part of the this semester's final presentation, your goal was to write a fun drinking song that would be multi-use in a bar or at a folk festival. With your other siblings home from college, and a party planned with old friends and alcohol…inspiration shouldn't be hard to find.

The heavy rumble of a truck pulled past, and you looked up when the driver stopped behind you and waited for you to look up.

"Don't work too hard on that song alright? First drafts like these are meant to be sloppy so we can fix them after break!" Jaskier looked a little ridiculous in the huge pickup truck, dark black and covered in mud, but the dozens of mardi gras beads hanging from the rearview mirror fit the music teacher so well it was fitting. And there were several instrument cases in the back seat.

You smirked, shrugging off the concern, and relaxing your stance and being surprised by your instructor.

"Oh c'mon! Practice makes perfect!"

Jaskier's nose wrinkled, and put the truck in park to lower the loud rumble, "On chords and lower levels, this I want the rough cuts so we can work on critiques and true composition building. That's why a prerequisite for Third Levels is English Composition 101 _and_ 102, so you get the writing side foundation started. Think you can throw something together by the end of break?"

Smiling wider, you nod confidently, "I'm going to compose drunk!"

A burst of laughter beats out the deep bass of the truck, and Jaskier grinned wildly, "Not the first time I've heard that…or _done_ that, drive home safe and see you in-"

He was cut off by the Bluetooth ringing in the vehicle, ending the conversation with a fond grin, "Oh! My cue, gotta run!"

Waving as he pulled away, you heard fragments of a sing-song answering machine mockery instead of a normal phone greeting like "hello!".

" _You've reached the vehicle of Jaskier and Geralt! Leave a message after the archipeggios!_ "

Laughing at how utterly _adorable_ your professor sounded singing to his husband over the Bluetooth in his car, you clamber into your own vehicle, digging for your cell phone to text your friend to hurry up.

Xxx

_March 18th, 2020_

Xxx

You got the email, an automated message sent to every student registered for classes, that stated Spring Break was extended for an additional seven days and it would not affect ending semester dates. All results of the Covid-19 concerns, the campus was taking extra time off and setting up resources in case students who traveled had questions about exposure.

The next day, Professor Rivia sent out a class notice for everyone to go ahead with the next two readings, eliminating one of the syllabus listed assignments to make up for lack of class time. Notes would be discussed next class time and get back on track.

Xxx

_April 8th, 2020_

_8:36am_

Xxx

Blinking at your laptop screen, you twirled your pen, smudging the last few words of notes in your distracted half-awake state as you adjusted the earbuds in your ears.

Spring Break extension has since been turned into a semester change over. You had only taken one online class before, after your freshman year, to fix an Algebra grade. And wasn't thrilled to find out your four classes this semester had been retrofitted into long-distance educational experiences.

Chemistry…sucked…labs had been written off as practical and turned into papers…to explain reasonings…

Musical Education Third Level was easier, textbook readings, questions, and discussion boards online were going okay, even if the class numbers had shrunk a bit in decent participation.

Lyrical Comp, was your absolute favorite, Jaskier held Zoom classes at multiple hours, you hopped online when you had enough time to sit down and focus, sending pictures of your sheet music so Jaskier can play alongside with you and work on critique over a webcam and microphone while he was curled up on a couch in his guest bedroom he explained so the sound didn't travel as much and so he had a lock on the door. He held two sessions a day, every weekday for two hours each. Workshop classes like yours, students could hop into any three of these meetings as long as they were one a day spread out over each week. Perfect for you, who had no sense of time anymore and repeatedly forgot to sign in to the meetings before too many had already logged in and Jaskier's meeting limit was reached so he could properly work with everyone.

As for World History, Professor Rivia had bumped class time only half an hour, so that the Zoom meeting platforms were not overwhelmed by too many eight am classes scrambling to sign on all over the country with college campuses closed. He still lectured, using an obviously newly erected white board for the extra notes he used to write out in face to face classes, while his side of the Zoom screen displayed the power points also sent out onto the college platform so students could go back to them. Every Zoom session was recorded, not every student could get access in real time so Professor Rivia had switched to recordings for both his face to face classes and originally online students.

Meaning three times a week, you sat in front of your computer, in pajamas and barely serviceable cleanliness of your bedroom as you hogged the Wi-Fi in the house for an hour and a half to listen to some classmates chatter alongside Professor Rivia's lectures, and the rest be just like you and stare at the computer screen in zombie mode. Professor Rivia didn't mind the lack of perfect focus, he did make a point of going down the attendance list and calling on everyone at least once a week to ensure students were _mostly_ paying attention, and taking notes.

Yawning behind a hand, you checked back over your last few lines of notes, brow furrowing in confusion as Professor Rivia went on in what sounded like a completely different chronological direction than your notes were going.

Hitting the question alert, you were adjusting your headphones for the microphone to not be tangled in the wires, while Professor Rivia waved in acknowledgement and worked to a good stopping point to reach the question.

Halfway through a sentence on religious schism in France in result of a monarchy shift, the home office Professor Rivia was using was abruptly flooded with noise as the side door that had always been closed since these sessions had started, was slammed open and a blur of white blonde hair and bright purple princess dress burst into the room.

She had to be no older than six or seven, a tiny little girl in a costume dress and holding up a brown and white kitten with a sparkly collar and bell that jingled over the webcam.

Multiple people on the Zoom meeting were cheering, giggling at the interruption and waving to the little girl who had rushed up to Professor Rivia and was babbling about the kitten.

"Papa! Roach wants snacks!"

You snorted loudly into your microphone, joining the waving when she found the computer screen of camera boxes staring back at her. She ducked a little behind her "papa", waving shyly while Professor Rivia wrangled the screaming kitten that had been thrust into his hands, completely ignorant of the computer mouse and dry erase marker.

" _Ciri! Where-I told you-Shit! Papa's working!_ "

A shriek echoed over the Zoom audio feed, it might have been from you, it might not. The shock was there though, to the point several people actually jerked back from their computers, a few storming away from their webcam's line of sight.

Jaskier sprinted into the room in a paint splattered t shirt, basketball shorts, and barefoot as he scrambled to pick up the giggling child, throwing her over a shoulder before plucking the kitten out of Professor Rivia's hands. He might have been muttering to himself or Ciri, you and the rest of the shocked students couldn't quite hear over the kitten mewing in complaint almost as loud as the child.

Professor Rivia followed them to the floor, shoulders tight in annoyance, Jaskier spun on camera so Ciri's head was facing the hallway while Jaskier glared at Professor Rivia.

"Lock on the door! I told you-"

You did shriek a little this time, a high-pitched gasp as Professor Rivia's massive hand planted itself on Jaskier's face and shoved lightly to get him to duck out of the doorway so it could be closed. Ignoring the loud chatter on the Zoom audio, Professor Rivia kicked his desk chair against the door to brace it shut and fully closing off the rest of his house from the meeting.

"Sorry about that, my daughter doesn't understand why I'm working from home or why her school is closed, hasn't figured out I can't play all morning yet." Professor Rivia quickly reset the power point, writing more notes up on the dry erase board as if he hadn't just been interrupted by a tiny child, screaming kitten, and an impromptu fellow instructor cameo.

Turning to the camera and his class, Professor Rivia gestured back to the notes, "Alright _Y/N_ , you had a question?"

"What?!"

Professor Rivia must be psychic or something, it was like he was staring you down through the webcam personally, "Question-you-French Religion."

Gaping a bit, you flailed mentally before blurting out the first thing that came to mind instead of your date mix-up from earlier.

"What is _HE_ doing at your house?!"

About a dozen others burst into chorus with similar questions and shock, turning the audio and visual feeds into scrambled static until Professor Rivia muted everyone else's microphones except his own until the noise died down and those logged on this morning were quiet.

"Since apparently we're distracted, _he_ is a professor at the university to those of you not registered in any liberal arts classes, anyone taking Musical History 101 next semester or stuff like that will most likely get him."

: _But WHY is he at your house Professor!!??:_ Sent from Brian Adams

Professor Rivia actually froze, staring at them on his screens in confusion before slowly enunciating his words as if it was the most obvious fact in the world.

"Because we're married?"

You almost spewed your coffee on your laptop, choking visibly on screen to the point another classmate sent you a message asking if you were ok.

The class chat board was blowing up, during the chaos you yanked your cell phone off its charger to swipe open the WhatsApp group chat with your music buddied.

_Y/N: OMG!!!!!!!!!!!!!! *SCREAMING*_

_Cassie: WHAT?!!!!!!_

_Mike: ?_

_Triss: It’s too early for this shit Y/N_

_Y/N: YOU'RE NOT GOING TO BELIEVE THIS!_

_Max: What's going on?_

_Heather: Spit it out!_

_Y/N: JASKIER IS MARRIED TO GERALT_ _RIVIA_!

_Max: WHO?_

_Heather: OMG!!!_

_Mike: RIVIA?? You mean the history PROFESSOR???_

_Y/N: YES!!_

_Triss: HOW?_

_Y/N: Zoom lecture! His kid just broke in and Jaskier came running in to grab her, totally got a hand in the face to shove him out of the room! Rivia's still trying to teach like it's no big deal!!_

_Mike: He just blew up the biggest betting pool on campus and he's blowing it off??!!_

Glancing back up at the Zoom session, you scanned the notes still written on the dry erase board, good Professor _Geralt_ Rivia hadn't started up again. Your phone beeps frantically and you ignore the fact that it's probably loud enough to catch on your microphone.

The chat board is still freaking out, buffering every three or four messages as so many people chimed in with the microphones all muted. Professor Rivia was rather composed, even as people completely _lost their shit_.

Much like your WhatsApp conversation that had jumped a dozen messages.

_Triss:…OMG Jaskier is NEVER living this down!_

_Heather: DUDES!! That means it's JASKIER who sends RIVIA those HUGE flower things on Valentine's day! Those are like campus legends!_

_Mike: That explains why last year it passive aggressively said "Fuck you" and Jaskier was mad at Geralt for two weeks._

_Y/N: I heard about that one, this year was FUCKING gorgeous, WTF guys how did we not know this??_

_Mike: Explains SO much_

_Mike: Wonder who_ Her Sweet Kiss _is about_

_JASKIER: An ex-lover of Geralt's. Tried to break us up like three times now, even AFTER the wedding._

_JASKIER: Yes, we're married. Yes, that's Ciri, she's 7. Yes, that's the new kitten we got before spring break, her name is Roach. Yes, I know about the betting pool, I just won a hundred bucks! *Laughing emojis*_

_JASKIER: See you guys later! Ciri's demanding snacks!_

You stare at your phone in disbelief, and almost dropped the damn thing when it beeped again and downloaded the sent photo.

Jaskier was still in the casual clothes, now with Ciri in full focus cuddling the little kitten. Both were making faces at the camera, Jaskier making the "peace" sign with his left hand so the wedding ring was plainly obvious. Now in clear view and not lunging for a child, the shirt was _very_ clearly not his, too large and labeled _Kaer Mohren University_ and everyone knew Jaskier graduated from Oxford.

Finally tearing your focus from your classmates, you found Professor Rivia staring at the camera, waving a little with his arms crossed as he basically glared straight at you.

"Y/N, are you listening?"

: _Yes Professor_ : Sent from Y/N

He tapped the single ear headset he wore with the microphone adapter, and you snapped your earbuds back in place so you could speak into the Zoom session.

"You're a music major aren't you, Y/N?"

You hid behind your pillow a little, peeking out and answering with a bright red face, "Yes, Professor."

Rolling his eyes, he tapped the dry erase board, "French Religion?"

Clearing your throat you checked back at your notes and the frantic scribbles marking the error.

"Uh…yeah…did you say 1860s or was it earlier, I missed the year change with the country shift. It's not on the power point, I think you were writing it."

Professor Rivia nodded, stretching to repeat the dates at the top of the board while you rambled on a bit about your confusion. Not only were you several decades wrong, but you'd missed one his big points he'd underlined. Going back later you could have looked, but by that point you'd be _way_ too distracted to focus, knowing that a few minutes later the lecture would play the biggest secret reveal in college history.

Ignoring your phone, you kept going, trying to focus properly now that you were _really_ awake with that kind of shock. You mostly kept going, though some of your classmates would likely be bothering you for notes later as the chat board was still glitching out with shock and chaos.

For his credit though, Professor Rivia had slowed down, allowing his students to flounder their way through the remainder of the lecture. Even if he was keeping his cool, you had to smirk when someone loudly commented that Professor Rivia looked a little hot, and not just handsome in his neat teacher clothes, the red tint high on his ears and cheeks was still enough to prove their professor wasn't as unflappable as previously thought.

While the professor opened up the session back to questions, you glanced at your phone, swiping back into the group chat and scrolling through the chatter of the others.

Right at the bottom, was another sent image, this one a bit older with the lower quality of pixels, but the picture was clear.

Jaskier was in a smart tux, a deep navy blue with a shimmering silver tie. Geralt was in a matching black tux, with a cornflower blue tie. Their arms were around each other, Jaskier leaning against Geralt's chest and the other man's chin tucked into the curly chestnut hair. Both had their eyes closed, looking like they were swaying in place.

You guessed it was from their wedding, the ring on Jaskier's hand was really bright compared to the other image, not yet tarnished from age and love.

A caption flashed up underneath, and you couldn't wipe the smile off your face for the rest of the week.

_Geralt and Jaskier, 2005, First Dance_

_"…The Dandelion and his Wolf…"_


End file.
